line stows/rubber bands

[chutem 0]

Stupid low time newbie question here. Are the rubber bands used for line stows the same as similarly sized office rubber bands? It's not that I'm to cheap to buy them at the dropzone, I want to do a little "practice packing" at home and don't have any in case of breakage or if I find weak/damaged. Office Max is 2 miles away vs 70+ to dropzone. Thanks for the advice. I searched and did not find anything on this but did find great packing tips along the way.

[chutem 0]

Hey dumb ass, you should have put this in gear and rigging. Sorry appologies to all.

James

[councilman24 37]

No, you will not find the right size at Office Max.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[beowulf 1]

You can buy them online at ParaGear and SquareOne.

[chutem 0]

Thanks

James

[ryand96 0]

Quote

You can buy them online at ParaGear and SquareOne.

or on PD's web site

[pilotdave 0]

Buying rubber bands online is nuts unless you can find free shipping or are already buying something else. Both paragear and square1 have $25 minimum orders now. But a few years ago I wanted to buy some rubber bands online. A $2 bag was going to come out to like $10 including shipping.

Just buy em at your DZ if you don't have a bigger order to add them to.

Dave

[skyhighkiy 0]

hey man,

f.y.i. chances are good, if you're tight w/ the D.Z. and the packers'n'stuff, that they wouldn't mind you swipin a few bands off them now and then. just ask. as far as breaking them goes. unless your bands are already about to go (you'll be able to see the wear in them.) you won't have to worry about breaking anything from just practice packing.....unless you pull damn hard...and I mean DAMN hard.


p.s. buy tube stows, last longer and youd on't have to double stow (unless you split your lines for your last stows)

BE THE BUDDHA!

[markbaur 0]

Even though you won't find skydiving-approved rubber bands at an office supply store, nothing keeps you from using whatever you bands want for packing practice at home. When you get to the dz, open your pack and replace the rubber bands with ones more commonly used in skydiving.

When you pack for a jump, you must absolutely use good rubber bands (or Tube Stoes™ or similar) for the bag locking stows.

Mark

[sundevil777 102]

I make my own tube stows from the bulk silicone tubing you can find in the fishing/sporting goods section of any department store (really cheap per foot).

Use a pair of needlenose pliers to turn one end over about 5mm. Insert the closed pliers into the other end and open the pliers to expand the tubing. Now take a pair of hemostats (sp?) or similar instrument used for other purposes to grab the turned over end of the tubing and insert it into the opened end. Carefully slide the tubing off the pliers and you're done. No need to glue anything.

I believe that the canopy dumping out of the bag when rubber band-locking stows break is more common than we might want to admit. For this reason I am a big fan of tube stows for the critical locking locations.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[koz2000 1]

Just out of curiosity, are Sky Bands still being made? If so what's the contact info?


.

______________________________________________
- Does this small canopy make my balls look big? - J. Hayes -

[floormonkey 0]

Best source for parachute bands:

http://www.keenerrubber.com/Parachute.htm

The only downside is the turnaround. Great service, really great price.